For anyone else looking to learn about what to expect during childbirth, let me recommend Erica Lyon's "The Big Book of Birth."

http://www.amazon.ca/The-Book-Birth-Erica-Lyon/dp/0452287685

As the reviews suggest she tries to present all of the information objectively, leaving the reader to make their own decisions.

My wife credits this book with helping to convince her that she could give birth without an epidural.